Do you have any experience with children?

[LouiseB]

I'm starting to feel a little daft for wanting a baby so desparately when i don't really have any positive experience with them

I held an 11 week old baby yesterday and it was the scariest thing ever!

It's head felt like it was going to fall off - it kept on making a beeline for the floor

The mother didn't seem bothered but except for the brief moment i got to see him yawn (omg so cute) it was pretty terrifying.

Then my friends 18 month old has taken to enjoying pinching my face. She stuffs as many fingers up my nose and tries to pull it off! I don't think she dislikes me, because she will also reach out for me... but then again that is only so she is in reach of my face

Then there is my 4 year old nephew who is going through a little shit phase and has tantrums if he doesn't get his way that included confronting and hitting whoever is denying him what he wants... including his mother.

Good grief! Why do i want a child again? lol

Do you actually have any real experience of children?

 

[Kezzamunster]

I haven't but thought I'd post

My best friend has 2 daughters aged 6 & 9 & is due to have her 3rd child on 4th Jan & OH has 4 nephews aged 13, 7, 2 & 1 yr & a niece of a yr old

I've never been able to hold any of them when tiny babies as always petrified I would break them as they are so fragile!!!

xxx

 

[Tracey M]

When ever I held a baby it would guarantee to scream its head off wanting mummy ha ha. I did loads of babysitting but not many babies, only toddlers and kids. I have to say when josh was born it just seemed soooo natural to hold him...easy but the nurses in the ward were an amazing help. The first bath very scary experience! Did not want to leave hospital cos then I was on own with baby going wtf??

 

[Lander]

formerly Student MW so have actually delivered one and held lots of brand new ones.... Can do it one handed....

My mate has two girls 5 and 8 who've I've looked after since eldest was one, have had them alone overnight, dinner, bath, bed and breakfast....

And OH had 5 Nieces/Nephews 12, 8, 3, 18 months and 3 months (who we got to go cuddle whilst still in hospital @ 36 hours old)....

So, think we're kinda covered

 

[Nurse 26]

Mostly all my friends have small babies at the moment so i'm ok with them.

Dont like it when they are at that age where the constantly wriggle around and feel like your going to drop them tho.

At work i kinda got used to it as when all the visitors come they always bring all thier kids and babies and end up asking you to hold them, I thought it was so weird at first holding someone you don't knows baby but got used to it after a while.

 

[linxminx21]

even though i had some experience with babies as my sisters has had 3 between them it was stil daunting when you have your own but like tracey said it does seem natural and you soon pick it up, before you know it it will seem second nature to have to hold a wriggling baby in one hand over a baby bath while trying to wash its hair!!!
its natural to be worried/concerned but i was still only young at 16 so if i could manage it im sure you can i also lived alone with him from when he was 6 weeks old so i had no help off my mum

 

[Mummy2Adam]

I never really had much experiance before I had Adam, but as soon as he was born it came naturally
I think you prepare yourself mentally when trying to concieve and when pregnant.

Holding other peoples babys is quite scary experiance, even though I had plenty of practice with Adam if anyone hands me their baby now im still scared x x

 

[clairebear22]

I have 11 years of childcare experience and have probably seen it all over the years. But i'm still worried about when this one arrives!! I don't think anything can prepare you for having a child of your own. Yes I have tons of experience and lots of tips and ways to make things easier but thats for children that don't belong to me. When children I look after cry, have tantrums etc I can handle them pretty easily because theres not mother/child bond there but who knows what'll happen when I have this baby!!

I'm sure like everyone says ... it all comes naturally!

P.s - The face grabbing hurts so bad doesn't it! lol All perfectly normal for an 18 month old though!

xxx

 

[cherrybinky]

Ive never been maternal or wanted to hold or talk to babies/children but my current partner has a 5 and a 3 year old and my whole views have changed. its hard work as Im not their Mum but I do all the same things as a Mum, I clean, cook, dress them, tell them off, bath them so its like theyre my own in some ways. Im thankful for the experience and its amazing that they love me back as much as I love them. We laugh, cry and go through everything with them and its lovely but it cant possibly beat having my own baby with their Dad and I cant wait. x

 

[dita_parlo]

I haven't had much experience apart from my nephew Rhyley. Although me and my husband did look after him for the first 2 weeks of his life as my sister was in hospital for 2 weeks after the birth. It was soo scary looking after a tiny baby, hope I'll be alright when my baby comes!!!